By Lia Avagyan
Ruben Vardanyan, the former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), has declared a hunger strike to protest what he describes as a “judicial farce” being conducted against him in Azerbaijan. He conveyed this message in a brief phone call with his family.
“Yesterday, I decided to protest by declaring a hunger strike against the judicial farce being carried out against me. This is my response to the blatant violations of Azerbaijani procedural law and international law,” Vardanyan stated in his message to the international community.
Vardanyan, who was detained after Azerbaijan’s military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, detailed numerous violations of his legal rights. He is currently being tried in a military tribunal rather than a civilian court, with severely restricted access to case materials comprising 422 volumes in Azerbaijani, which were classified as “state secrets” and given only 21 working days for review.
Vardanyan’s local lawyer, Avraam Berman, has faced significant obstacles, including restricted access to materials, document confiscation, and alleged psychological pressure. His international legal team has been completely barred from communication and denied access to case materials.
“This so-called ‘trial’ is not just against me. It is an attempt to criminalize all Armenians – all those who supported and demonstrated compassion toward Artsakh and its people,” Vardanyan emphasized. The proceedings have been conducted secretly, with foreign journalists and independent international observers barred from the courtroom.
Despite Azerbaijan being a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Vardanyan alleges that the indictment lacks proper signatures and contains translation errors that impede his understanding of the charges. He has been denied the right to summon defense witnesses or file complaints about violations during the investigation and trial.
In his appeal to world leaders, international organizations, and human rights defenders, Vardanyan warned that “silence in the face of such violations paves the way for future tragedies, fueling hostility and a new wave of hatred.” He concluded that “only through truth, law, and humanity can peace and justice be ensured in the region.”
The case continues to highlight the challenges of achieving justice and reconciliation in the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with potential implications for Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and regional stability in the South Caucasus.
Following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in September 2023, several former leaders of Artsakh were detained by Azerbaijani authorities as they attempted to leave the region alongside tens of thousands of displaced Armenians. Among them were former presidents Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arkadi Ghukasyan, as well as former state minister Ruben Vardanyan, parliament speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, and other high-ranking officials. They are charged with various offenses under Azerbaijani law, including terrorism and separatism.
Human rights organizations and Armenian officials have condemned the arrests, calling for international intervention to ensure their fair treatment and release.
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